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Success Stories

Sir Noggin Gets a New "Noggin"

Some
say cats have nine lives. If so, Sir Noggin has cashed in several
already. In August, he was a stray, rescued from Brooklyn traffic. At
first glance, it appeared from a bump on his “noggin” that he had
suffered head trauma. An MRI donated by Massachusetts Veterinary
Referral Hospital in Massachusetts, however, proved otherwise: He was
born with an encephalocele, a condition rarely seen because animals
usually die at birth or are euthanized.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke, encephaloceles are “rare neural tube defects characterized by
sac-like protrusions of the brain and the membranes that cover it
through openings in the skull. These defects are caused by failure of
the neural tube to close completely during fetal development.”

In Sir Noggin’s case, Dr. Curtis Dewey, associate professor and
section chief for neurology at the Cornell University Hospital for
Animals, explains, the sac was filled with spinal fluid that had settled
between the two hemispheres of his brain and was protruding from the
skull. The fluid put pressure on the cat’s brain, causing him to appear
depressed and lethargic after play.

Sir Noggin was referred to CUHA where Dr. Curtis Dewey, associate
professor and section chief for neurology, believed the condition could
be fixed. In what is thought to be the inaugural surgery to remove a
feline encephalocele, Dewey removed the sac and all associated abnormal
tissue, constructed a new meningeal layer using connective tissue to
protect the brain, and built a new skull with titanium mesh and bone
cement.

“Basically, we gave him a helmet,” said Dewey, explaining that he
used a special drill to insert 13, 3-millimeter screws to hold the
titanium plate in place. “The surgery was a success on several levels.
Of course, it was a success for Sir Noggin and his family. Beyond that,
though, we have learned valuable lessons that can be applied to future
cases. Encephaloceles do not have to be a death sentence for animals.”

Greta Masters, who adopted Sir Noggin and has told his story on
the Internet (www.sirnoggin.com) has made two 10-hour road trips to
Ithaca and expects to make a third trip for a follow-up visit. “He’s
doing marvelously,” she said. “We are so pleased with all the help we
received from Cornell and around the world.”

The cost of the surgery was supported with a gift from the
Cornell Feline Health Center as well as gifts from more than 300 donors
from around the world

The Day Risa Slayed the Dragon

Coyotes
left her for dead. When Risa, an 11-year-old dachshund, was found on
the forest floor, she was bleeding and in shock. Fearing the worst, Dan
Evett and Janet Snoyer bundled up their long-time companion and brought
her to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, where they met Dr.
Jay Harvey, Dr. Heather Knapp-Hoch, and veterinary student Rosie
Busayawatanasood ’10 in the emergency room. Thus began a week-long vigil
– fraught with life and death decisions – that ended with tough-girl
Risa defying the odds.

Risa had sustained multiple injuries: she had muscle damage in
her neck, crushed vertebrae, internal bleeding, and had lost a good deal
of blood. After a three-hour, two-surgeon operation, Risa was
transferred to the ICU, where it was touch and go for several days.

“Despite the surgery, it was difficult for anyone to know if she
would make it,” said Evett, who is a semi-retired archaeologist. “By the
third day, though, there was reason to believe that she would come
through the ordeal. But no one had any idea if she would be a dog or a
dog invalid.”

After six days, Risa trotted into the waiting room, albeit a bit
sideways as her coordination was still off, headed home with advice from
the Hospital’s surgery, pain management and rehabilitation services.
Dan, who took over physical therapy when Janet was out of town, turned
therapy into a game and allowed Risa to direct the sessions, explaining
that Risa showed him what she could do.

“The exercises that we recommended for Risa were designed to
challenge without stressing her injuries or her attitude,” said Dr.
Andrea Looney, senior lecturer and director of the pain management
program. “She has made a remarkable recovery. Definitely a story of
positive energy and sheer determination – from Risa, from her owners,
and from Rosie, who saw opportunities to collaborate with services
across the Hospital to speed Risa’s recovery.”